


MONADO- MONONISM 



AN ESSAY 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 



RAMA-CHANDRA SEN, 

Ex- Inspector of Schools, Oude, 



CHICAGO. 

SCOTT, FORESMAN & CO., 
1897. 









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MONADOMONONISM 



AN ESSAY 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 






RAMA-CHANDRA SEN, 

Ex-Inspector of Schools, Oudc, 

AUTHOR OF 

•CREDENCE RULES THE WORLD,*' "CRIME— ITS NATURE, 

CAUSE AND CURE,'* "YOGA-SIKSHA, ; * 

'"HUMAN LIFE," ETC. 




REVISED E 



CHI ' r 

SCOTT, FORESMAN & CO., 

181)7. 






^ 



Copyright, 1897. 
By R. Norman Foster. 



> 



•ECOHD COPY. 



J^/CC <L~ 



EXPLANATORY. 

Tin; author of this essay is an Oriental scholar, who 
was|very desirous of participating in the proceedings 
of the Philosophical Congress, held at Chicago during 
the World's Fair. 

Circumstances prevented the realization of his wishes, 
and he forwarded to the Congress the following paper, 
which, however, was not received until some time 
after the close of the Congress. 

Subsequent correspondence with the author re- 
specting his paper, has led him to the conclusion that 
he would like to place it in the hands of the members 
of the Congress, for theirperusal. and likewise to dis- 
tribute a few copies among the scholars of America. 

The work is essentially one belonging to Specula- 
tive Science, and especially to that branch thereof 
which relates to the general principles of the modern 
doctrine of evolution. 

The standpoint is quite Oriental, and the consistent 
interweaving of the two primal factors of Feeling and 
Force, is unique. 

The execution is extremely methodical, the insight 
profound, and the whole production worthy of a 
thoughtful study. 

The following notices of it have an introductory 
value : 

3 




EXPLANATORY 

EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS 

Rl sPECTING 

THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE. 



London, January i8, 1894. 

Sir, \ t ou seem to have worked out the fundamental 

ft ion of your "Philosophy of Existence" with great care and 

ness More I cannot say, since I cannot enter on the discussion 

of its fundamental conception, which, in all the forms of it that I am 

acquainted with, has always presented insuperable difficulties to my 

mind. 

Believe me, truly yours, 

SHADWORTH H. HODGSON, LL. D. 

AUTHOR OF 

Philosophy of Time and of Space," 
Rama-Chandra Sen, "Philosophy of Reflection ," Etc. 

Benares, India. 



Devon, February 23, 1894. 
Dear Sir, — Many thanks for your intuitive and suggestive little 
pamphlet. The term "Monado-Monism" is a very happy one, and I 
should consider it eminently applicable to my own system of phi- 
losophy. I quite agree with you that Monadology is the only clue to 
the riddle of this world. 

E. D FAWCETT. 
Rama-Chandra Sen, 

Ex-Inspector of Schools, Oude, 
Benares, India. 



Chicago, June 20, 1894. 
Dr. Rama-Chandra Sen, 

Benares, India. 
Dear Sir, — Your "Philosophy of Existence" will be highly useful 
to the Occidental mind by affording, in very brief compass, a compre- 
ive view of Oriental philosophic thought, in its relation to the 
human and the divine. I have been especially interested in the pro- 
cess of evolution, which your pamphlet sets forth. 

With much respect, I have the honor to be, 
My dear sir, very sincerely yours, 

CHARLES C. BONNEY, LL. D. 

President World's Congress, Chicago. 



EXPLANATORY 



Benares, October i6, 1895. 
R. N. Foster, M D., 

Chicago. 
DEAR Sir, — I am very much indebted to you and to Dr. Bonney 
for your excellent review of my "Philosophy of Existence." 

Allow me again, please, to express my deep sense of gratitude for 
the trouble you hive so kindly taken to review my essay in so masterly 
a manner. 

With feelings of profound respect and esteem, 
I have the honor to be, 

My Dear Sir, your sincere admirer, 

RAMA-CHANDRA SEN. 



Extract from the Monist, Vol. (\ Xo. r, of October, r$QJ, P. /.//■ 

This essay on "Monado-Mononism, or the Philosophy of Exis- 
tence," is a very compict, thoughtful and thoroughly systematic view 

volution, as seen by an Oriental savant. Students of evolution 
would find it deeply interesting, if not otherwise, at least as a contrast 
to the evolution theories prevailing in the Occident Not that they 
wholly disagree— in fact it is possible to combine the two systems 
but that Sen's theory grounds in consciousness ab initio all existence 
is conscious- and this fact determines the movement. R. N. F. 

The " review" above mentioned by the author is 

<>:ie that was forwarded to him for publication in India. 

The courtesy of an acknowledgment of the receipt 

of this pamphlet, with any criticisms relating to it. 

would be appreciated fully by Rama Chandra Sen, 

3S is u Benares City, India.' 1 

R. Norman Foster. 



PREFACE. 

"Pi i is Philosophy of Existence is only the Philosophy 
of Evolution and of Involution, based upon Monad- 
ology. It pretends to give the genesis of existence — 
to show how every form of evolved existence is more 
or less imperfect— and to infer how perfection cannot 
be the final consummation of evolution. It ventures 
inferentially to realize, as far as possible, the nature 
and the attributes of God — and it attempts to explain 
what man by nature is ; what, by right self-effort, he 
can become, without any belief in moral responsibility, 
in sin or death, in hell or heaven; and in what rela- 
tion he sta;nds to God. This philosophy of existence 
gives the law of self-development, of self-control, of 
self-sacrifice, of self-prolongation — and, in this law, it 
implicitly gives the law of all true reform — individual 
or educational, domestic or moral, social or political. 
kosmic or religious. That this constructive philosophy, 
in so concise a form, should be free from fault, is very 
far from probable. But it is given out, as it is, with 
a view to invite fair criticism, and to elicit higher 
thought. 

R. C. SEN. 
Benares, August. 1894. 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE. 

ALL EXISTENCE CONSCIOUS. 

Every kind of existence, from its all-perfect to its 
most imperfect form, is more or less conscious of its 
own existence, and of its own powers and forces. 
Conscious existence, as it is all-perfect, perfect or im- 
perfect, has a conserving power and a conserving 
force, supremely intense, perfectly intense, or imper- 
fectly intense. All-perfect conscious existence has a 
supreme conserving power and a supreme conserving 
force. 

ALL-PERFECT, ABSOLUTE. 

As absolute cause, this all-perfect conscious existence 
absolutely radiates, as it were from a supreme focus, 
its own redundant energy, into the vast infinite, as 
supreme on-flow of its own supreme conserving power 
and its own supreme conserving force, in the shape of 
a conscious unconditioned noumenon — all-pervading 
Feeling, with its unconditioned phenomenon -all- 
pervading Force. 

PE r f ect, unconditioned. 

The most unconditioned, undifferentiated con- 
ns noumenon the supreme noumenal on-ilow 

of all-perfect conscious existence is Feeling. Feeling 

ernal and co-infinite with all-perfect. conscious 
It has a perfect conserving power, by 

7 



TH E PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 
fectl serves itself, and through which 

" K()r , t , [tis.indestruetible -and is, in itself, 

n0men ° n ' ' ! Feeling has. as functions 

homogeneous, throughout. feeling 

f ts g OW n refect conserving power, the powers of 
t ^i,,,, o repulsion, of attractive repulsion or re- 
££ ^ of ? e . active repulsion. The censer^ 

„r^r nf feeling— its tendency to peisist 
attractive now ei 01 leeim^, ■> 

i udinen, of Pleasure; while its re-ac«,ve. , epo,- 

ve power-its tendency «o change-is the r— 

on Feeling, as conscious noumenon. ,s d.rectlj 

il^s I. a.l Sown powers, as wel. a, of ,,s own 

con&ciuu rudimentary state. 

peculiar pleasure or paim n he - ^ 

pleasure is F^^'^ Secondary. Both 

L que nt ly in imperfect ^"^ 

ous higher forms, m finer and ne ' ^.^ 
vanish altogether in AU-Pertert ^ 

What self-consciousness and its chttere 

• tKp seauel When spacial distance 
will app ear in the sequel ^ 

is posited, "noumenal conse ^ e 

•'-•---!^::j:r:^:icrwhiie^ou m enai 

power, "as the cuDeo u 

Bibili , o. all noumena. evohroon ^^^ 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE () 

depends. The most un-conditioned, undifferentiated 
phenomenon the supreme phenomenal on-llow of all- 
perfect conscious existence is Force. Force is co- 
eternal and co-infinite with all-perfect conscious exist- 
ence. It has a perfect conserving force, by which it 
perfectly conserves itself, and through which it inti- 
mately blends itself with its conscious un-conditioned 
noumenon feeling. It is indestructible — and is. in 
itself, homogeneous, throughout. Force has, as func- 
tion of its own perfect conserving force, a perfect re- 
sisting force. It is indirectly conscious, through its 
own conscious un-conditioned noumenon — feeling, of 
its own conserving and its own resisting force. When 
spacial distance is posited, * k phenomenal conserving 
force" varies inversely as the square of the distance; 
while ••phenomenal resisting force n works under ^ the 
law of the equality of Action and Re-action." Force, 
it will appear, is the ultimate, on which the possibility 
of all phenomenal evolution depends. As ultimate, it 
is in a sense unknowable — yet. though unknowable, it 
is more certain than any other phenomenon, as it is 
the ultimate, on which the possibility of all phenom- 
ena depends. 

EMPERFECT, CONDITIONED. 

0U8 unconditioned noumenal feeling, as un- 
conditioned cause, unconditionally conditions itself as 
well as its unconditioned phenomenal force into vari- 
ous grade-, rising, in the vast infinite, one above an- 
other, towards the supreme focus and. in every grade. 
the conscious un-conditioned feeling, in itself, attracts 
own order of conscious feeling- i conscious 



IO THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

conditioned noumenal whole." and repulses the rest 
of the conscious feeling; as well as re-acts and posits 
its corresponding order of forces, as u a conditioned 
phenomenal whole," at a neutral position, as its own 
conditioned phenomenal body, and repulses the rest of 
the force— while this corresponding order of forces, 
as a conditioned phenomenal whole, by its own con- 
serving force, preserves its own neutral position, and 
resists its being pushed in or pushed out of that neutral 
position. Every conscious conditioned noumenal 
whole, therefore, has its own conditioned phenomenal 
bodv. through which it seeks its own peculiar pleas- 
ure or shuns its own peculiar pain. 

IMPERFECT, MODIFIED. 

And every ; ' conscious conditioned noumenal whole, ' ? 
as efficient cause, deflects itself directly through its 
own conditioned phenomenal body, and so modifies 
itself, at a certain definite position in infinity, as Wk a 
conscious modified noumenon" — similarly deflecting, 
at the same time," its own conditioned phenomenal 
body, as reactive effect of its own reactive power, 
and re-conditioning it, at a neutral position from the 
modified noumenon, as the re-conditioned phenom- 
enon or body of the conscious modified noumenon. It 
is through this re-conditioned phenomenal body that 
its conscious modified noumenon proximately seeks its 
own peculiar pleasure or shuns its own peculiar pain, 
and ulteriorly intensifies itself into a newly modified 
noumenon. Every conscious modified noumenon, then, 
has its own phenomenal body. A modified vitality 
has a conserving power to preserve, and an attractive 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE II 

power to intensify its own existence: as well as a re- 
active power to posit its own useful body, at a neutral 
position from itself, and a repulsive power to repulse 
all that is injurious to itself or to its own body, be- 
yond the neutral position. Every conscious conditioned 
vitality, therefore, is some conscious modified noume- 
non, while its conditioned body is some re-conditioned 
phenomenon. As life consists of modified noumenal 
actions so adjusted as to balance all re-conditioned 
phenomenal actions — and. since definite structure 
(body) is only a means of making possible this better 
adjustment, it follows that conscious modified noume- 
nal or vital activity is the determining cause of con- 
ditioned phenomenal structural activity. All embry- 
onic growth illustrates this principle. Every form of 
conditioned existence, therefore, is a conscious nou- 
menon. intimately connected with its own phenomenal 
bodv. But, as every conscious noumenon conditions 
its own phenomenal body, existence, therefore, is 
mere noumenon — mere feeling — mere consciousnt 
A conscious modified noumenon is * w a reactive thing. 
per <c. that is directly knowable to self, and un- 
knowable so to another — but knowable to another, 
only by inference as an efficient cause:" while a 
phenomenon is "a resisting thing, per a/iud. that is 
directly knowable both to self and to another as the 
phenomenal body of a noumenon." 

.MONAD AM) \To.M. 

2. When two or more rays of conscious conditioned 
noumenal feeling, as efficient cause, deflect themselves 
directly through two or more corresponding rays of 



I J THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

conditioned phenomenal force, and so meet or intersect 

each other at a certain point in infinity, this point is 
the more or less intensified, unextended focus of feel- 
ings, called monad. Monad is an un-extended focus 
of feelings, more or less intense. Behind this "focus 
of feelings," monad disappears. Monad, as conscious 
modified noumenal existence, is directly conscious of 
all its own noumenal powers. The feeling-power of 
monad extends to all infinity, as the "inverse rule" 
testifies. Different monads, as intersections of two or 
more rays of conscious conditioned noumenal feeling. 
have different intensities and different degrees of nou- 
menal powers. When two or more rays of conditioned 
phenomenal force, as deflected by tw r o or more corre- 
sponding says of conscious conditioned noumenal feel- 
ing, meet or intersect each other at a neutral point in 
infinity, this point is the more or less intensified, un- 
extended focus of forces, called atom. Atom is an 
unextended focus of forces, more or less intense. Be- 
hind this "focus of forces," atom disappears. Atom. 
as re-conditioned phenomenal existence, is indirectly 
conscious, through its own conscious modified noume-. 
nal monad, of its own phenomenal forces. The force 
of atom, like the feeling-power of its monad, extends 
to all infinity, as the ^inverse-rule 1 ' shows. Different 
atoms, as intersections of two or more rays of condi-' 
tioned phenomenal force, have different intensities and 
different degrees of phenomenal forces. A phenome- 
nal atom is the body of its own noumenal monad. The 
intenser is a monad, the intenser is its atomic body. 
It is through this atomic body that its conscious monad 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE [3 

intensities and modifies itself. Both monads and their 
atoms arc all intimately connected, through feeling: 

and force, with all. below or above. 

TIME MONADIC. AND MOTION ATOMIC. 

3. Sequence of monad after monad is the noume- 
nal sequence, called monadic time: as sequence of 
corresponding atom after atom is the phenomenal 
sequence, called motion or atomic time. Time begins 
from that portion of the vast infinite only, where there 
is •"sequence of monads; 1 ' as motion begins from that 
portion of the vast infinite, where there is "sequence 
of corresponding atoms." Behind this u noumenal se- 
quence of monads," time disappears; as behind this 
••phenomenal sequence of corresponding atoms." mo- 
tion disappears. Time, as noumenal sequence, may 
be said to have a conserving and a re-active power; 
while motion, as phenomenal sequence, may be said 
to have a conserving and a resisting force. Conscious 
conditioned noumenal feeling. as efficient cause, evolves 
noumenal time, as well as conditions phenomena! 
motion. Both time and motion are intimately connected. 
through feeling and force, with all. below or above. 

SPACE MONADIC, AND MATTER ATOMIC. 

4. A monad or an atom of higher intensit}' attracts 

a monad or an atom of lower intensity. Coexistence 
of monads is the noumenal coexistence, called mo- 
nadic space ; as Istence of corresponding atoms 

is the phenomenal coexistence, called matter or atomic 
space. Space begins only from thatportion of infinity 

where the) mce of monads." as mallei- 



I [ THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

begins only from that portion of infinity where there 
is ^coexistence of corresponding atoms." Behind this 
"noumenal coexistence of monads." space disappears ; 
as behind this "phenomenal coexistence of corre- 
sponding atoms." matter disappears. Space, as nou- 
menal coexistence, may be said to have a conserving 
and a re-active power: while matter, as phenomenal 
coexistence, mav be said to have a conserving and a 
resisting force. Conscious conditioned noumenal feel- 
ing, as efficient cause, evolves noumenal space, as 
well as conditions phenomenal matter. Both space 
and matter are intimately connected, through feeling 
and force, with all. below or above. 

THE SO-CALLED ELEMENTS— MONADIC OR ATOMIC. 

5. The most distant coexistence of the most re- 
active monads, the largest portion of monadic space, 
is probably noumenal super-ultra ether-supra. which 
gradually becomes noumenal ether, fire. air. vapor or 
earth, as the noumenal monads coexist nearer and 
nearer, in smaller and smaller monadic space : while 
the most distant coexistence of corresponding atoms, 
or the largest portion of atomic space, is probably 
phenomenal super-ultra ether-supra, which gradually 
becomes phenomenal ether, fire, air. vapor or earth, 
as the corresponding phenomenal atoms coexist nearer 
and nearer, in smaller and smaller atomic space. Be- 
hind ••such noumenal coexistences/' the monadic ele- 
ment-disappear: as behind u such phenomenal coex- 
istences,' 1 the atomic elements disappear. The monadic 
ments, as noumenal existences, have conserving 
and re-active powers; while the atomic elements, as 



THE PHILOSOPHY OV EXISTENCE 15 

phenomenal existences, have conserving and resisting 

forces. Conscious conditioned noumenal feeling, as 
efficient cause, evolves the monadic elements, as well 
as conditions the atomic elements. All these forms 
of conscious inorganic existence. as well as all mechan- 
ical and chemical changes in them, depend only on 
different lateral arrangements of different coexisting 
monads and their corresponding coexisting atoms, 
with more or less motion, in more or less space. They 
are all intimately connected, through feeling and force. 
with all. below or above. 

THE IMPERFECT SENSES MONADIC OR ATOMIC. 

6. When monads of noumenal earth, as efficient 
cause, deflect themselves through their corresponding 
atoms of phenomenal earth, and so modify themselves 
ards a focus, this focal region becomes integrated, 
by repetition and fusion, into an imperfect noumenal 
sense of touch — and imperfect noumenal senses of 
taste, of smell, of sight and of hearing are formed, as 
monads of noumenal vapor, air. tire or ether, as effi- 
cient cause, deflect themselves through their corre- 
sp ending phenomenal atoms, and so modifv them- 
selves towards this or that integrated focal region. 
Each imperfect noumenal sense has its own imperfect 
phenomenal body, through which it seeks its own 
peculiar pleasure or shuns itst)wn peculiar pain. Each 

imperfect Sense, as conscious noumenal existence, is 
conscious of its own imperfect sensations, which con- 
sist only of simple sensuous feelings of imperfect 
es or pain- —and each imperf. 



lO THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

less and less imperfect, as more and more of its mo- 
nads converge nearer and nearer, through their cor- 
responding atoms, towards a focus. These imperfect 
senses evolve progressively, after the ascending de- 
grees of matter, in the order of their seniority — touch, 
taste, smell, sight and hearing. The noumenal im- 
perfect sense of touch with its own imperfect phe- 
nomenal body is an individual or person of the sim- 
5t character — and this individual's sense-conscious- 
ness is self-consciousness of the most imperfect kind. 

IMPERFECT SKNSH-SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS. 

I mperf ect sense-self-consciousness conditions its 
imperfect sensations into imperfect perceptions ; per- 
ceives imperfect difference between its imperfect per- 
cepts : and. by its own retentive power, unifies all im- 
perfect percepts, as agreeable to self, into an imper- 
fect unitv. without canceling their pluralitv. 
distinguishing itself most obscurely from them all. 

MINERAL. 

The simplest individual is a mineral. A mineral 
sists of monads of imperfect sense of touch, united 
with a sensuous body of corresponding atoms of earth. 
A mineral, therefore, cannot be conscious of anything. 
perfectly. In a mineral, its monads of imperfect touch 
capable of immediate self-pleasure; its body con- 
3 of elemental atoms transformed by the greater 
intensity of its higher monads of imperfect touch into 
mineral-atoms, capable of deflecting and so intensify- 
ing all its monads, towards a focus; and its environ- 
ment or sphere of action is the sphere of its immediate 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 17 

percepts the mineral of imperfect touch identifying 
own good through and with the good of its environ- 
ing percepts. A mineral feels all the peculiar imper- 
pleasures or pains of its imperfect sensations of 

touch. Mineral is of different orders, accordin gas 
its sense-self-consciousness is more or less imperfect 

and the sense-self-conseionsness of mineral becomes 

- and less imperfect, as more and more monads oi 
imperfect touch converge nearer and nearer towards 
a focus. The least imperfect mineral is an imperfect 
focal region of all elemental monads and their atoms — 
intimately connected, through feelings and force, with 
all. below or above. 

[MPERFECT COGNITION — MONADIC OR ATOMIC. 

7. When monads of imperfect sense, as efficient 
cause, deflect themselves through their corresponding 
atoms, and so modify themselves towards a focus. and 
recur there, over and over again, through their im- 
mediate pleasurable feelings. this focal region becomes 
integrated, by repetition and fusion, into a monadic 
region of imperfect cognitions, conditioning its own 
phenomenal body of corresponding atoms of more or 

- tine vapor. Imperfect cognitions are only asso- 
ciated perceptions of imperfect relations between per- 
cepts, as useful to self. Every percept is sometimes 

useful to some self. 

IMPERF ECT COGNITIONAL SELF-CONSCK HJSNESS 

Impei- feet cognitional self-consciousness perceives 
imperfect similarity (relation) between percepts; and. 
by its own retentive power, unifies all cognitional re- 



[8 THE PHILOSOPBY OF EXISTENCE 

lations of percepts, as useful to self, into an imperfect 
unity, without canceling their plurality, distinguishing 
itself very obscurely from them all. Cognitional self- 
consciousness conditions organic existence, where va- 
riation by loss and assimilation is the rule, and where 
molecules become differentiated into rudimentary 
ins with special functions, subserving a common 
organism. 

PLANT. 

A plant is a cognitional organism of the simplest 
kind. Plant consists of monads of imperfect cogni- 
tion, with monads of imperfect sense less imperfect 
than in mineral, apparently united with a single sensu- 
bodv of corresponding atoms of rlne earth — all 
the monads being so inter-dependent as to subserve 
another. A plant can therefore be conscious of 
nothing perfectly. In plant, its monads of imperfect 
cognition are capable of mediate self-pleasure, through 
their higher powers of assimilation; its body consists 
of mineral-atoms transformed by the greater intensitv 
of its higher monads of imperfect cognition into plant- 
. capable of deflecting and so intensifying all its 
monads towards a focus: and its environment is the 
sphere of imperfect relations of its mediate percepts — 
the plant of imperfect cognitions identifying its own 
\d through and with the good of its environing re- 
lation of percepts. As monads of imperfect sense, 
plant lives the life of a mineral, looking for its imme- 
diate self-pleasure, through its immediate percepts ; 
but. as monads of imperfect cognition, plant lives its 
own proper life, looking for its mediate self-pleasure. 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 19 

through its mediate percepts. The individual identity 
of a plant is preserved by similar monads and their 
atoms stepping into the exact place of the departed 
monads and atoms. Plant feels all the peculiar imper- 
fect pleasures or pains of its imperfect cognitions and 
of its imperfect sensations. Plant is of different orders, 
according as its cognitional self-consciousness is more 
or less imperfect and the cognitional self-conscious- 
ness of plant becomes less and less imperfect. as more 
and more monads of imperfect cognition converge 
nearer and nearer, towards a focus. The least imper- 
fect plant is an imperfect focal region of all elemental 
and all mineral monads and their atoms — intimately 
connected, through feeling and force, with all. below 
or above. 

IMPERFECT EMOTION— MONADIC OK ATOMIC. 

When monads of imperfect cognition. as efficient 
cause, deflect themselves through their corresponding 
atoms, and so modify themselves towards a focus, and 
recur there, over and over again, through their pleas- 
urable feelings, this focal region becomes integrated. 
by repetition and fusion, into a monadic region of im- 
perfect emotions, conditioning its own phenomenal 
body of corresponding atoms of more or less tine air. 
Imperfect emotions are merely associated sensations 
of imperfect pleasures and pains, in relation to another 
self. 

IMPER] ECT I M< >Tin\ \i. SELF-CONSCIOl SN1 

Im otional self-consciousness perceives im- 

tice between self and another self: 



2o TflE PHILOSOPH\ OF EXISTENCE 

and, by its own retentive power, unities all emotional 
relations between self and another self, as good to 
another self, into an imperfect unity, without cancel- 
ing their plurality, distinguishing itself obscurely from 
them all. 

BRUTE. 

A brute is an emotional organism, higher than plant. 
Brute consists of monads of imperfect emotion, with 
monads of imperfect cognition and of imperfect sense 
less imperfect than in plant, apparently united with a 
single sensuous body of corresponding atoms of very 
tine earth — all the monads being so inter-dependent as 

observe a common organism. A brute can there- 
fore know nothing perfectly. In a brute, its monads 
of imperfect emotion are capable of remote self-pleas- 
ure, through the higher powers of their affections ; its 
body consists of plant-atoms transformed by the greater 
intensity of its higher monads of imperfect emotion 
into brute-atoms, capable of deflecting and so intensify- 
ing all its monads towards a focus; and its environ- 
ment is the sphere of its own prolongation of self into 
a family of imperfect selfs — the brute of imperfect 
emotions identifying its own good through or with the 
good of its own environing family of selfs. As monads 
of imperfect sense, brute lives the life of a moving 
mineral, looking out only for its immediate self-pleas- 
ure, through its immediate percepts; and as monads 
of imperfect cognition, it lives the life of a moving 
plant, looking out for its mediate self-pleasure, through 

mediate percepts — but. as monads of imperfect 
emotion, it lives its own proper life, looking out for 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 21 

its emotional self-pleasure, through the good of its 
own family of selfs. The individual identity of a brute 
remains throughout life the same, as similar monads 
and their atoms step into the exaet place of the de- 
parted monads and atoms. Brute feels all the peculiar 
imperfect pleasures or pains of its imperfect emotions. 
its imperfect cognitions, and its imperfect sensations. 
Brute is of different orders, according as its emotional 
self-consciousness is more or less imperfect — and the 
Otional self-consciousness of brute becomes less and 
= imperfect. as more and more monads of imperfect 
emotion converge nearer and nearer towards a focus. 
The least imperfect brute is an imperfect focal region 
ill elemental, mineral and vegetal monads and their 
ms intimatelv connected, through feeling and 
force, with all. below or above. 

IMPERFECT REFLECTION MONADIC OR ATOMIC. 

q. When monads of imperfect emotion, as efficient 
cause, deflect themselves through their corresponding 
ms, and so modify themselves towards a focus. and 
. over and over again, through their pleas- 
urable feelings, this focal region becomes integrated. 
by repetition and fusion, into a monadic region of im- 
perfect reflections, conditioning its own phenomenal 
body oi -ponding atoms of more or less line fire. 

Imperfect reflections imperfectly perceive certain 

pleasures in relation to other selfs to be finally 
painful or justly bad. and certain pains, to be finally 

pleasurable or justly good. 



22 THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

[MPERFECT REFLECTIVE SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS. 

Imperfect reflective self-consciousness perceives im- 
perfect similarity between self and other selfs: and. 
by its own unifying power, unities all reflectional re- 
lations between self and other selfs. as just to other 
s, into an imperfect unity, without canceling their 
alitv. distinguishing itself more or less faintly from 
them all. 

MAN. 

Man is a reflective organism, higher than brute. 
Man consists of monads of imperfect reflection, with 
monads of imperfect emotion, of imperfect cognition 
and of imperfect sense less imperfect than in brute. 
apparently united with a single sensuous body of cor- 
responding atoms of super-tine earth — all the monads 
subserving a common organism. Man. as man. can 
therefore know nothing perfectly or exhaustively — he 
can know only a little of this and a little of that, more 
or less imperfectly. In man. his monads of imperfect 
reflection are capable of very remote self-satisfaction, 
through the higher powers of their sympathies ; his 
body consists of brute-atoms transformed by the higher 
intensity of his monads of imperfect reflection into 
man-atoms, capable of deflecting and so intensifying all 
his monads towards a focus; and his environment is 
the sphere of his own prolongation of self into a world 
of similar selfs the man of imperfect reflections pro- 
lively identifying his own good through or with 
the good of his environing world of selfs. As monads 
of imperfect sense, man lives the life of a moving 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 23 

mineral, looking out only for his immediate self-pie 
ure, through his immediate percepts; and. as monads 
of imperfect cognition, man lives the life of a moving 
plant, looking out for his mediate self-pleasure, through 
his mediate percepts. So long as man is an individual 
being, his immediate or his mediate self-pleasure is 
the end of all his actions. As monads of imperfect 
emotion, man lives the life ol a higher brute, looking 
out for his emotional self -pleasure, through the good 
of his own family of selfs. But, as monads of imper- 
fect reflection, man becomes by degrees an integrated 
member of a profession, of a society, of a race, of a 
country, or of a world of similar selfs. looking out for 
his reflective self-satisfaction progressively through 
the refined satisfactions of his wider and wider envi- 
ronment. When all the monads of man work harmo- 
niously, every monad then works for itself as well as 
for all the others — but. in case of conflict, the lower 
monad must invariably give place to the higher— and. 
if it does not. it is because the lower monad, as the 
older, is more intense than the higher. Man may 
therefore know the better — yet. from habit, prefer the 
WOrS at the moment the most desired. Action 

would exactly follow the dictates of a higher monad, 
if these dictates were, by habit, as intense as those of 
a lower monad. All the actions of a reflecting monad 
are governed by the law of self-interest, moving in the 
line of self-realization and are good or bad. as its 
motive is more or less large: and its environing sphere 
of action, more oi- less wide. In imperfect man. all 
difference ol opinion as to what is good arises only 



- f THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

From difference of standard monadic or atomic. Good 

is therefore only a relative term. Strictly speaking. 
the question of good is only an emotional question, not 

subject to the lower canon of cognition, but subject to 
the higher canon of reflection. Reflective justice is 
direct court of appeal. Virtue is an organized good 
oi the highest order of its kind, and is therefore abso- 
lute, and has an indefinite career; while vice is an or- 

ized good of a lower order of its kind, modifiable 
by an organized good of a higher order of the kind— 
and is therefore relative in character, and definite in 
career. The personal identity of a man depends upon 
spontaneous re-constitution or upon organic unity of 
development. Man feels all the peculiar imperfect 
pleasures or pains of his imperfect reflections, his im- 
perfect emotions, his imperfect cognitions and his im- 
perfect sensations. Man is of different orders, accord- 
ing as his reflective self-consciousness is more or less 
imperfect — and the reflective self-consciousness of 
man becomes less and less imperfect, as more and 
more monads of imperfect reflection converge nearer 
and nearer towards a focus. The least imperfect man is 
an imperfect focal region of all elemental, mineral, 
jetal and animal monads and their atoms — intimate- 
lv connected, through feeling and force, with all, lie- 
low or above. Man's duty towards all lower exist- 
ences is to study their essential natures, and so to con- 
trol them, as well as to help them to help themselves, 
and to be just and kind to them -while his duty to- 
wards all higher existences is to reflect upon their su- 

ior natures, to aspire after them, and to realize 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 25 

them. Man's duty towards self will appear in the 
sequel, 

SI MMAU Y. 

10. There appears thus to be no end to the evolu- 
tion of higher and higher forms of imperfect self-con- 
scious existence. And in this evolution, ad infinitum, 
we sec. that the higher a monad in an imperfect indi- 
vidual is. the liner is its atomic body; the larger, its 
motive ; and the wider, its sphere of action the higher 
and higher imperfect individual identifying its own 

d through or with the good of its wider and wider 
environment. AW 1 also see. that "the world of atoms" 
is an exact correlate of "the world of monads. 1 ' And 
we therefore infer, that "the world of monads'' is as 
logically and mathematically uniform in its workings 

- "the world of atoms." Hence, the perfect uni- 
formity of nature- monadic or atomic. 

PERFECT SKNSK MONADIC OK ATOMIC. 

11. When monads of monadic elements, as perfect 
efficient cause, so deflect themselves through their 
corresponding atomic elements, as to meet at this or 
that focus, they intensify and transform then 

into monads of perfect sense, conditioning phenomenal 
bodies oi 1 >onding atoms of more 01" less fine 

earth-supra. 

PER I \x T SENSE-SEL1 -CONSCIOl SNESS. 

Perfei E-consciousness perceives unalter- 

able agreeable to self ; 

and. by its own superior unifying power, unifies them 
ect unity, witho their plurality, 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

distinguishing itself plainly from them all. From the 
perfect uniformity of nature, it appears possible that, 
as in the world of imperfect sense, so in the world of 

perfect sense, where all sense-perceptions as agreeable 
to self are transparent, there are four kinds of beings 
of perfect sense, according as their perfect sense-self- 
consciousness is more or less perfect. 

IMPERFECT SUPER-EMOTION MONADIC OR ATOMIC. 

This perfect sense-consciousness indirectly causes 
monads of imperfect emotion to converge, as efficient 
cause, through their corresponding atoms, towards a 
focal region, called the monadic region of imperfec* 
super-emotion, conditioning a phenomenal body of 
corresponding atoms of more or less fine super-air. 

IMPERFECT SUPER-EMOTIONAL SELF.-CONSCIOUSNKSS. 

Imperfect super-emotional self-consciousness per- 
ceives imperfect similarity between self and another 
self: and. bv its own unifying power, unifies all super- 
emotional reactions of similarity between self and an- 
other self into an imperfect unity, without canceling 
their plurality, distinguishing itself obscurely from 
them all. * * * 

PERFECT COGNITION- MONADIC OR ATOMIC. 

12. When monads of perfect sense, as perfect effi- 
cient cause, SO deflect themselves through their corre- 
sponding atoms as to meet at this or that focus, they 
undergo sensuous death, and intensify and transform 
themselves into monads of perfect cognition, condi- 
tioning a phenomenal body of corresponding atoms 
of more or less line vapor-supra. 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 2J 

PJ2RFECT COGNITION AL SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS. 

Perfect cognitional self-consciousness perceives 
unalterable cognitional relations of percepts, as use- 
ful to self: and. h\ its own superior unifying power, 
unities them into a perfect unity, without canceling 
their plurality, distinguishing itself clearly from them 
all. From the perfect uniformity of nature, it appears 
probable that, as in the world of perfect sense, so in 
the world of perfect cognitions, where all cognitions 
or relations of percepts as useful to self are transpar- 
ent, there are four kinds of beings of perfect cognition, 
according as their cognitional self-consciousness is 
more or less perfect. This perfect cognitional con- 
sciousness indirectly causes monads of imperfect re- 
flection to converge, as efficient cause, through their 
corresponding atoms, towards a focal region, called 
the monadic region of imperfect super-reflection, con- 
ditioning a phenomenal body of corresponding atoms 
of more or less tine super-tire. 

IMPERFECT SUPER-REFLECTIVE SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS. 

Imperfect super-relleetive self-consciousness per- 
ceives imperfect difference between finite and infinite 
and. by its own unifying power, unities all 
super-reflective relations of difference between finite 
and the infinite self into an imperfect unity, with- 
out canceling their plurality, distinguishing itself most 
imperfectly from them all. 

SPIRIT. 

A spirit i> a perfect cpgnitional being of the high* 

kind. Spirit i - of monads of perfect cognition, 



J s THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

as well as of monads of imperfect emotion and of im- 
perfect reflection less imperfect than in a being of per- 
fect sense of the highest order, with new monads of 
imperfect super-reflection, apparently connected with 
a single body of atoms of super-tine vapor-supra. A 
spirit, as spirit, can therefore know perfectly only all 
his perfect cognitional relations, but he can know 
nothing perfectly of his imperfect emotions, his im- 
perfect reflections and his imperfect super-reflections. 
In a spirit, his body consists of atoms of Wk beings of 
perfect sense" of the highest order, transformed by 
the superior intensity of his monads of perfect cogni- 
tion into spirit-atoms of super-fine vapor-supra, capa- 
ble of deflecting and so intensifying all his monads to 
or towards a focus ; his motive of self-satisfaction is 
larger than that of a being of perfect sense of the 
highest order : and his sphere of action, wider, ex- 
tending to the entire Kosmos — the spirit of perfect 
jnitions identifying his own good progressively 
through or with the good of his environing Kosmos. 
The personal identity of a spirit depends upon organic 
unity of development. A spirit feels all the perfect 
pleasures of his perfect cognitions, as well as all the 
imperfect pleasures and pains of his imperfect emo- 
tions, his imperfect reflections and his imperfect super- 
reflections. Spirit is of different orders, according as 
his super-reflective self-consciousness is more or less 
imperfect and this imperfect super-reflective self- 
consciousness of spirit becomes less and less imper- 
fect, as more and more monads of imperfect super-re- 
flection converge nearer and nearer toward a focus. 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 20 

The least imperfect spirit is a perfect or quasi-perfect 
focus of all inferior monads and their atoms inti- 
mately connected, through feeling and force, with all. 
below or above. 

PERFECT EMOTION- MONADIC OR ATOMIC. 

13. When monads of perfect cognition, as perfect 
efficient cause, so deflect themselves through their cor- 
responding atoms as to meet at this or that focus, they 
undergo cognitional death, and intensify and transform 
themselves into monads of perfect emotion, condition- 
ing a phenomenal body of corresponding atoms of 
more or less line air-supra. 

PERFECT EMOTIONAL SELF-C< )NSCIOUSNESS. 

Perfect emotional self-consciousness perceives un- 
alterable emotional relations of goodness between self 
and another self: and. by its own superior unifying 
power, unifies them into a perfect unity, without can- 
celing their plurality, distinguishing itself very 
clearly from them all. From the perfect uniformity 
of nature, it appears highly probable that, as in the 
world of perfect cognitions, so in the world of perfect 
emotions, where all emotions or relations of goodness 
veen -elf and another self are transparent, there 
four kinds of perfect emotional beings, according 
as their emotional self-consciousness is more or : . 

perfect. 

IMI'l.Kl I at SUPER-REFLECTIVE FAITH MONADIC 
ok ATOMIC. 

This perfect emotional consciousness indirectly can 



39 THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

monads of imperfect super-rjeflection to converge, as 
efficient cause, through their corresponding atoms, to- 
wards a local region, called the monadic region of im- 
perfect super-reflective faith, conditioning a phenom- 
enal body of corresponding atoms of more or less tine 
ether. 

IMPERFECT FAITH-SHLF-CONSCIOUSNKSS. 

Imperfect faith-self-consciousness perceives imper- 
fect similarity between finite and infinite existence; 
and. by its own unifying power, unifies all super-re- 
flective relations of similarity between finite self and 
the infinite self into an imperfect unity, without can- 
celing their plurality, distinguishing itself very imper- 
fectlv from them all. 

ANGEL. 

An angel is a perfect emotional being of the high- 
est kind. Angel consists of monads of perfect emo- 
tion, as well as of monads of imperfect reflection and 
of imperfect super-reflection less imperfect than in a 
perfect cognitiona 1 spirit of the highest order, with 
new monads of imperfect super-reflective faith, appar- 
ently connected with a single body of atoms of super- 
tine air-supra. An angel, as angel. can therefore know 
perfectly only all his perfect emotional relations, but 
an know nothing perfectly of his imperfect reflec- 
tions, his imperfect super-reflections and his imperfect 
super-reflective faith. In an angel, his body consists 
of spirit-atoms of the highest order, transformed by 
the superior intensity of his monads of perfect emotion 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 31 

into angel-atoms of super-fine air-supra, capable of de- 
flecting and so intensifying all his monads to or towarSs 
a focus; his motive of self-satisfaction is larger than 
that of a spirit of the highest order: and his sphere of 
action, wider, extending to a system of Kosmoses 
the angel o( perfect emotions progressively identify- 
ing his own good through or with the good of his en- 
vironing system of Kosmoses. The personal identity 
111 angel depends upon spontaneous re-constitution. 
An angel feels all the perfect pleasures of his perfect 
emotions, as well as all the imperfect pleasures and 
pains of his imperfect reflections, his imperfect super- 
reflections and his imperfect super-reflective faith. 
Angel is of different orders, according as his faith-self- 
consciousness is more or less imperfect —and this im- 
perfect faith-self-consciousness of angel becomes less 
and less imperfect, as more and more monads of im- 
perfect faith Converge nearer and nearer towards a 
focus. The least imperfect angel is a perfect or quasi- 
perfect focus of all lower monads and their atoms 
intimately connected, through feeling and force, with 
all. below or above. 

PER 1 ECT REFLECTION MONADIC OR ATOMIC. 

I j. When monads of perfect emotion, as perfect 
efficient cause, so deflect themselves through their 
corresponding atoms as to meet at this or that focus, 
they undergo emotional death, and intensify and trans- 
form themselves into monads of perfect reflection, 
conditioning a phenomenal body of corresponding 
atoms of more or less fine tire-supra. 



32 THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 



PERFECT REFLECTIVE SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS, 

Perfect reflective self-consciousness perceives un- 
alterable reflective relations of justice between self 
and other sells: and. by its own superior power, uni- 
fies them into a perfect unity, without canceling their 
plurality, distinguishing itself most clearly from them 
all. From the perfect uniformity of nature, it appears 
very highly probable that, as in the world of perfect 
emotions, so in the world of perfect reflections, where 
all reflections or relations of justice between self and 
other selfs are transparent, there are four kinds of 
perfect reflective beings, according as their reflective 
self-consciousness is more or less perfect. This per- 
fect reflective consciousness indirectly causes monads 
of perfect super-reflective faith to converge, as efficient 
cause, through their corresponding atoms, towards a 
focal region, called the monadic region of imperfect 
super-reflective super-faith, conditioning a phenomenal 
body of corresponding atoms of more or less fine su- 
per-ether. 

[MPERFECT SUPER-FAITH-SELF-CONSCIOUSNESS. 

Imperfect super-faith-self-consciousness perceives 
equality between finite and infinite existence; and. by 
its own unifying power, unifies all super-reflective re- 
lations of equality between finite self and the infinite 
self into an imperfect unity, without canceling their 
plurality, distinguishing itself imperfectly from them 
all. 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 33 

CHERUB. 

A cherub is a perfect reflective being of the highest 
kind. Cherub consists of monads of perfect reflec- 
tion, as well as of monads of imperfect super-reflec- 
tion, and of imperfect super-reflective faith less imper- 
fect than in a perfect emotional angel of the highest 
order, with new monads of imperfect super-reflective 
super-faith, apparently connected with a single body 
of atoms of super-fine fire-supra. A cherub, as cherub, 
can therefore know perfectly only all his perfect re- 
flective relations, but he can know nothing perfectly 
of his imperfect super-reflections, his imperfect super- 
reflective faith and his imperfect super-reflective super- 
faith. In a cherub, his body consists of angel-atoms 
of the highest order, transformed by the superior in- 
tensity of his monads of perfect reflection into cherub- 
atoms of super-line rire-supra. capable of reflecting 
and so intensifying all his monads to or towards a 
focus: his motive of self-satisfaction is larger than 
that of an angel of the highest order: and his sphere 
of action, wider, extending to an entire universe the 
cherub of perfect reflections identifying his own good 
progressively through or with the good of hisenviron- 
ing universe. The personal identity of a cherub de- 
pends upon organic unity of development. A cherub 
feels all the perfect pleasures <>f his perfect reflections, 
as well as all the imperfect pleasures and pains of his 
imperfect super-retlections. his imperfect Miper-rellec- 
tive faith and his imperfect super-reflective super- 
faith. Cherub is of different orders, according as his 



34 THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

super-faith self-consciousness is more or less imper- 
fect and this imperfect super-faith self-consciousnees 

of cherub becomes less and less imperfect, as more 
and more monads of imperfect super-faith converge 
nearer and nearer towards a focus. The least imper- 
fect cherub is a perfect or quasi-perfect focus of all 
inferior monads and atoms — intimately connected, 
through feeling and force, with all, below or above* 

PERFECT SUPER-REFLECTION MONADIC OR ATOMIC. 

15. When monads of perfect reflection, as perfect 
efficient cause, so deflect themselves through their 
corresponding atoms as to meet at this or that focus, 
they undergo reflective death, and intensify and trans- 
form themselves into monads of perfect super-reflec- 
tion, conditioning a phenomenal body of correspond- 
ing atoms of more or less fine super-fire-supra. 

PERFECT SUPER-REFLECTIVE SEEF-CONSCTOUSNESS. 

Perfect super-reflective self-consciousness perceives 
unalterable super-reflective relations of truth between 
finite and infinite existence; and, by its own superior 
unifving power, unifies them into a perfect unity, with- 
out canceling their plurality, distinguishing itself dis- 
tinctly from them all. From the perfect uniformity 
of nature, it appears almost certain that, as in the 
world of perfect reflections, so in the world of perfect 
super-reflections, where all super-reflections or rela- 
tions of truth between self and the universal self are 
transparent, there are four kinds of perfect super-re- 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE ^5 

Elective beings, according as their super-reflective self- 
consciousness is more or less perfect. 

[MPER FECT SUPER-REFLECTIVE ULTR!A-F Mill si.li-- 
CONSCIOUSNESS. 

This perfect super-reflective consciousness indirectly 
causes monads of imperfect super-reilective super- 
faith to converge, as efficient cause, through their cor- 
responding atoms, towards a focal region, called the 
monadic region of imperfect super-reflective ultra- 
faith, conditioning a phenomenal body of correspond- 
ing atoms of more or less fine ultra-ether. Imperfect 
ultra-faith self-consciousness perceives imperfect iden- 
tity between finite and infinite existence; and. by its 
own unifying power, unifies all super-reflective rela- 
tions of identity between finite self and the infinite self 
into an imperfect unity, without canceling their plu- 
rality, distinguishing itself quasi-imperfeetlv from 
them all. 

SERAPH. 

A seraph is a perfect super-reflective being of the 
highest kind. Seraph consists of monads of perfeel 
super-reflection, as well as of monads of imperfect 
super-reflective faith and of imperfect super-reflec- 
tive super-faith less imperfect than in a perfect re- 
flective cherub of the highest order, with new mo- 
nads of imperfect super-rellecti\ e ultra-faith, appar 
ently connected with a single bodv of atoms of su- 
per-tine SUper-fire-SUpra. A seraph, as seraph, can 



36 Till-: PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

therefore know perfectly only all his perfect super- 
reflective relations, but lie can know nothing perfectly 
of his imperfect super-reflective faith, his imperfect 
super-faith and his imperfect ultra-faith. In a seraph, 
his body consists of cherub-atoms of the highest order, 
transformed by the superior intensity of his monads 
of perfect super-reflection into seraph-atoms of super- 
fine super-fire-supra, capable of reflecting and so in- 
tensifying all his monads to or towards a focus ; his 
motive of self-satisfaction is larger than that of a 
cherub of the highest order; and his sphere of action, 
wider, extending to a system of universes — the seraph 
of perfect super-reflections identifying his own good 
through or with the good of his environing system 
of universes. The personal identity of a seraph de- 
pends upon spontaneous re-constitution. A seraph 
feels all the perfect pleasures of his perfect super- 
reflections, as well as all the imperfect pleasures and 
pains of his imperfect super-reflective faith, his im- 
perfect super-faith, and his imperfect ultra-faith. 
Seraph is of different orders, according as his ultra- 
faith self-consciousness is more or less imperfect— and 
this imperfect ultra-faith self-consciousness of seraph 
becomes less and less imperfect, as more and more 
monads of imperfect ultra-faith converge nearer and 
nearer towards a focus. The least imperfect seraph 
is a perfect or quasi-perfect focus of all subordinate 
monads and atoms — intimately connected, through 
feeling and force, with all. below or above. 

SUMMARY. 

There appears thus to be no end to the evolution of 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 37 

higher and higher forms of self-conscious existence, 
all more or less imperfect. In the whole range of 
evolving existences, there appears to be no place for 
an existence, wholly perfect. * lint this "Genesis of 
Existence" prepares US to realize what all-perfect ex- 
istence is. We see how every form of conditioned 
self-conscious existence is a mere group of converging 
monads with their corresponding atomic bodies we 
how the simplest self-conscious mineral is an im- 
perfect focal fegion of all elemental monads and their 
atoms and how every higher conditioned self-con- 
scious existence is an imperfect focal region or a quasi- 
perfect focus of all lower monads and their atoms. 

I'll!-; SELF-EXISTING, ALL-PERFECT FOCUS. 

And we can now imperfectly or quasi-perfectl v 
realize, through our imperfect or quasi-perfect super- 
reflection, the self-existing, highest, supremest. sub- 
limest focus, where all centers of feeling and all 
centers of force meet together. This self-existing, 
highest, sublimest focus of all noumena and all phenom- 
ena Is. therefore, neither noumenon nor phenomenon 
— neither feeling nor force- -and so. its esse is alto- 
gether mysterious, and is quite incomprehensible by 
any conditioned self-conscious existence, how soever 
high. 

'rill". MM\o\ < )| ALL-PERFECT SEL1 -( 0NS( EOl SN1 

This self-existing, sublimest focus is tin- eternal, 

unchangeable, unchanging Motion of all-perfect self- 

consciousness, in which all possible form :lf-con- 

ireperfect. ThisMonon of all-pi jelf- 

all-perfect consciousness, without 



38 THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

any phenomena] body whatever, as it is all-perfect. 
All-perfect self-consciousness perceives unalterable 

relations of all kinds between all noumena and all 
phenomena : and. by its supreme unifying power, 
unities them all into a perfect unity or an orderly to- 
tality, without canceling their plurality, distinguish- 
ing itself most distinctly from them all — an orderly 
totality which, apart from this self-existing all-perfect 
consciousness, would simply be nothing at all. This 
supreme self-existing Monon of all-perfect self-con- 
sciousness, as supreme conscious existence, has a 
supreme re-active power, the supreme re-action of 
which, all-pervading feeling with its all-pervading 
force, is its supreme, co-eternal, unconditioned on- 
flow. And it is this all-pervading, unconditioned feel- 
ing that conditions itself, through its all-pervading 
force, in more or less imperfect or quasi-perfect forms 
of consciousness, connected with more or less imper- 
fect or quasi-perfect forms of organism. How uncon- 
ditioned feeling so conditions itself, we have already 
seen. And it conditions itself so. that it may best at- 
tain its end. What its end is will appear in the 
sequel. 

THE SELF-EXISTING MONON - ITS PRIMARY ATTRIBUTES. 

This self-existing, all-perfect Monon, it is clear, is 
all-absolute -quite un-related to the entire cycle of 
evolution, as evolution, in which, as we have seen, 
ever\ form of conditioned self-conscious existence is 
more 01* less imperfect — more or less under the influ- 
ence of ignorance. This self-existing, all-absolute 
Monon is omniscient. as it is the supreme focus of all 



THE lMIIl.OSolMIY OF EXISTENCE 



39 



centers of feeling — is omnipotent, as it is the supreme 
focus of all centers of force is all-perfect, as it is 
omniscient and omnipotent is all-holy, as it is all- 
perfect (for unholiness is only imperfection or impo- 
tence) is all-blessed, as it is all-holy. 

THE SELF-EXISTING MONON HOW KNOWN. 

The eye of perfect super-reflective self-conscious- 
ness directly sees this self-existing, all-blessed Monon 
so clearly and so distinctly as to require no proof o 
its existence. Even the eye of every form of imper-f 
feet self-consciousness sees this self-existing Monon. 
inferentially. Our imperfect super-reflective eye. if 
we have at all developed one. sees this self-existing, 
all-holy Monon. through our religious sense of piety 
and devotion — it proceeds from u many conditioned im- 
perfections" to one. true, absolute perfection. Our 
imperfect reflective eye sees this self-existing, all- 
perfect Monon. through our social sense of sympathy 
and veneration — it proceeds from u the just corre- 
spondence between our inner consciousness and our 
outer world" to the unity of the two in one infinite 
soul of perfect justice, as the common ground of both. 
Our imperfect emotional eye sees this self-existing, 
all-absolute Monon. through our moral sense of affec- 
tion and admiration it proceeds from "one beautiful, 
moral law" as a disposition in our moral COnscious- 

$s, to the existence of one beautiful, moral law- 

<t. for the possibility of realization, in this world. 
of one beautiful, moral law. Our imperfect cogni- 
tional eye sees this self-existing, omniscient Monon. 
through our logical sense of surprise and wonder — it 



fO THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

proceeds from "the purposeful arrangement of an 
organic universe" to one rational unity, realizing the 
purpose. And our imperfect sensuous eye sees this 
self-existing, omnipotent Monon. through our hedonic 
sense of need and pleasure — it proceeds from "the 
law of our sensuous needs" to one original unity, as 
the producing ground of all pleasure-producing things, 
causing each particular thing to work spontaneously 
in harmony with others. The Monon of sense and of 
jnition, however, is a physic god — of emotion and 
of reflection, an anthropic god — of super-reflection and 
of higher forms of self-consciousness, a psychic god- 
intimately connected, through feeling and force, with 
all. below. 

MAN HIS RELATION TO GOD. 

In what relation, then, does man stand to God? In 
this Philosophy of Existence, there is no place for 
moral responsibility, as this feeling of responsibility is 
only the knowledge that u the equation of action and 
reaction" is universal — no place for sin, as there is no 
moral responsibility, and as w r hatever is is good, ris- 
ing only through a better and a better stage to the 
-no place for death, as all is one continuous prog- 
3 of evolution, ad infinitum- no place for hell, as 
vice is ever self-punished by its peculiar depression of 
feelings no place for heaven, as virtue is ever self- 
rewarded by its peculiar elevation of feelings. In what 
relation, then, does man stand to God? To man, his 
self-existing God is " infinite in goodness," as ever-pro- 
gressive evolution openly declares — is u infinite in jus- 
tice." as the universal equation of action and re-action 
plainly testifies -is •'infinite in mercy," as the ever- 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF RXISTENCE 41 

progressive conservation of a life ol imperfection and 
error clearly manifests, through the revelations bf 
ever-growing science is "Infinite in grace," as the 
ever-progressive blessings of right self-effort distinctly 
reveal, through the revelations of ever-growing philos- 
ophy and is " infinite in love," as the final end of 
man and of all conditioned existence higher than man 
emphatically prophesies, through the revelations of 
religion. 

MAN IMPERFECT. 

This Philosophy of Existence shows how . am'ong an 

indefinite number of worlds, all more or less imper- 
fect, man stands, at best, at the head of the low est im- 
perfect world, the sensuous — it shows how imperfect 
man is nonmenally only a monadic region of imperfect 
reflections, of imperfect emotions, of imperfect cogni- 
tions, and of imperfect sensations — and it shows how. 
in the growing life of imperfect man. the imperfect 
of his childhood accept only what is simply 
agreeable to each sense: the imperfect cognitions of 
his youth accept what is agreeable to sense, if it is 
also useful to self: the imperfect emotions of his pu- 
berty accept what is agreeable to sense and useful to 
self, if it is also good to another self: the imperfect 
reflections of his manhood accept what is agreeable to 
sense, and useful to self, and good to another self, if 
it is also just to other selfs: and the imperfect super- 
reflection8 of his ripe age accept what is agreeable to 
i to self, good to another self, and just to 
oth. also true to the great universal self. 

-1.1.1 -C< i\TKO|,. 

The imperfect sense ol man is thus controlled, in 



4- THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

time, by his imperfect cognition; his imperfect cogni- 
tion, by his imperfect emotion; his imperfect emotion, 
by his imperfect reflection; and his imperfect reflec- 
tion, by his imperfect super-reflection. 

MAN HIS STAGES OF PROGRESS. 

i\n imperfect man, who habitually lives by his im- 
perfect senses only, lives always the life of a mere 
child (Balaka); one, who habitually controls his 'im- 
perfect senses by his imperfect cognitions, lives the 
life of a student of nature (Brahmacharin) ; one, who 
habitually controls his imperfect senses and his imper- 
fect cognitions by his imperfect emotions, lives the 
life of a. family-man (Grihasta); one, who habitually 
controls his imperfect senses, his imperfect cognitions, 
and his imperfect emotions by his imperfect reflections, 
lives the life of a world-man (Hansa); and one, who 
habitually controls his imperfect senses, his imperfect 
cognitions, his imperfect emotions, and his imperfect 
reflections by his imperfect super-reflections, lives the 
life of a quasi-kosmic man (Parama Hansa). This 
habit of self-control is the beginning of "Jnyana- 
Yoga n — and it is this habit of self-control that makes 
imperfect man less and less imperfect, through suc- 
sive quasi-virtual deaths. In all elevation of feel- 
ings, from imperfection to lesser and lesser imperfec- 
tion, divine mercy is primary — right self-effort, 
remotely secondary. Imperfect man, as he is more 
or less imperfect, is more or less an object of pity 
only. This Philosophy of Existence shows, how all 
monads, more or less imperfect, rise, in time, in the 
direction of higher and higher monads — and in this 
one direction alone — until the self-existing, all-perfect 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 43 

Nonon is finally realized, to our best, as the highest* 
supremest eternal reality and it now shows that, if 
quasi-kosmic man can. by his own reflection, trace 

out. for himself, and can follow up this single right 
direction of his true progress if he can strenuously 
regulate all his "springs of action' 1 by his higher and 
higher monads and can ever wakefully keep the all- 
perfect, all-holy Monon steadily before his imperfect 
super-reflective eye. as an all-seeing witness and as an 
ideal model of all-perfection, commanding the entire 
field of his self-consciousness, he can then, by such 
self-effort for self-realization, in a resigned mood, so 
elevate his own feelings, Dei Gratia, as to realize his 
own complete perfection, not only within the limits of 
his own reflective consciousness, but. through suc< 
sive virtual deaths, within the limits of the highest 
form of conditioned existence. 

THE SPIRIT-MAN. 

A quasi-kosmic man who has, by right self-effort 
for self-realization, completely practiced sense-restraint 
1 Pratyahara. ) undergoes virtual sensuous death : and. 
apparently continuing in the sensuous form, really 
lives the life of a perfect cognitional spirit. There is. 
however, an indefinite order of self-conscious exist- 
ence, between man as man and man as spirit and the 
quasi-kosmic man successively arrives at these higher 
and higher Stages, as lie becomes less and less imper- 
fect, through successive quasi-virtual or natural deaths, 
until he lives the life of a spirit. 'The spirit-man lives 
Upon pure liquid food, as he cannot digest solid mat- 
ter: and his body, formed of atoms of vapor-supr.i 
translucent, and casts only a faint darkish shadow. 



44 THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

As the purity of the shadow of an atomic body varies 
directly with the purity of its monadic feelings, a deli- 
cate photometer may be used as a measure of the purity 
the brighter the shadow by the photometer, the 
purer the feeling. The spirit-man may be good or. 
bad : but. as he is perfectly wise, within his own 
sphere — all his actions being wisely adjusted to their 
respective ends — he may be occasionally consulted 
with, if good: and, on such occasions, he is an object 
of more or less wonder. 

THE ANGEL MAN. 

A spirit-man who has. by right self-effort for self- 
realization, completely practiced cognitional restraint, 
(Dharana). undergoes virtual cognitional death; and, 
apparently continuing in the sensuous form, really 
lives the life of a perfect emotional angel. There is, 
however, an indefinite order of self-conscious exist- 
ence, between man as spirit and man as angel — and 
the spirit-man successively arrives at these higher and 
higher stages, as he becomes less and less imperfect. 
through successive quasi-virtual or natural deaths. 
until he lives the life of an angel. The angel-man 
lives upon pure air. as he cannot digest pure liquid 
food: and his body, formed of atoms of air-supra, is 
transparent, and casts no shadow at all — he is per- 
fectly wise and good, within his own sphere, and is a 
good friend within his narrow sphere : and, in this 
narrow sphere, he is an object of more or less admira- 
tion. 

I f p THE CHERUB MAN. 

An angel-man who has. by right self-effort for self- 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE |S 

realization, completely practiced emotional restraint. 
(Dhyana). undergoes virtual emotional death: and. 
apparently continuing in the sensuous form, really 

lives the life of a perfect reflective cherub. There is. 
however, an indefinite order of self-conscious exist- 
ence, between man as angel and man as cherub and 
the angel-man successively arrives at these higher and 
higher stages, as he becomes less and less imperfect. 
through successive quasi-virtual or natural deaths, until 
lie lives the life of a cherub. The cherub-man lives 
upon pure lire, as he cannot digest pure air: and his 
body, formed of atoms of lire-supra. casts a pure red 
reflection he is perfectly wise, good and just, within' 
his own sphere, and is a true friend, within his sphere: 
and. in this wide sphere, he is an object of more or 
reverence. 

tin: seraph man. 

A cherub-man who has. by right self-effort for self- 
realization, completely practiced reflective restraint, 

m&dhi,) undergoes virtual reflective death: and. 

apparently continuing in the sensuous form, really 

lives the life of a perfect super-reflective seraph. 

There is, however, an indefinite order of self-con- 

ence. between man as cherub and man as 

tph and the cherub-man successively arrives at 
these higher and higher stages, as he becom 
and less imperfect, through successive quasi-virtual 
or natural deaths, until he lives the life of a seraph. 
The seraph-man lives upon pure super-lirc-supra. 

he cannot digest pure fire; and his body, formed of 

atoms of super-fire-supra, a pure sunny white 

reflection he is perfectly wise, good, just and merci- 



.(.O THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

tul. within his own sphere and. as he sees distinctly. 
with his perfect super-reflective eye, the perfect super- 
reflective relation between his own finite self and the 
great infinite self, he is just worthy of being a relig- 
ious preceptor (Guru) of the lowest order; and, as 
such, he is an object of more or less veneration. In 
this higher and higher elevation of feelings, from per- 
ion to higher and higher perfection, divine grace 
is primary — right self-effort, secondary. And. in the 
process of this rise, man begins to feel what u freedom 
of will" means — begins to feel, that the end of nature 
is only "self-expression" — begins to feel, that virtue 
is only u self-perfection." and is to be developed as 
"an end for its own sake." not as u a means for some 
ulterior end." nor as "a means for its own sake"- 
begins to feel u true self-abasement" before the all- 
holv : and ; 'true self-exaltation," as his heart is lifted 
up to his God — begins to feel what u Divinity in Man" 
means. Arrived at this limit of perfection, the seraph- 
man is about the best of men — the true type of all 
true wisdom, of all true goodness, of all true justice. 
of all true mercv. Such a man still lives the life of 
holy aspiration, and feels an ever-growing feeling of 
illimitable beatitude, in the presence of infinite bless- 
edness. That this seraph-man can. by right self-effort 
for self-realization, rise higher and higher, through 
successive quasi- virtual or natural deaths, is now clear 
enough. And this higher and higher man — this spir- 
itual preceptor (Guru) of higher and higher order, be- 
comes an object of more and more veneration. of more 
and more awe. But even the eye of perfect super-re- 

llection is too imperfect to see whether or not perfect 
super-reflective faith perceives perfect similarity; or 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 47 

perfect super-reflective super-faith, perfect equality 
between finite and infinite existence whether or not 
perfect ultra-faith perceives perfect identity : or per- 
fect super-ultra-faith, perfect oneness between self 
and God. But. the being. all-holy is the merging of 
individual finite self into universal infinite self is the 
being one with God. Man feels remorse, so long as 
he feels a division between his own individual finite 
self and the universal infinite self — and he cannot be 
content, until he becomes one with God. To be all- 
holy -to be "one with God n is the direct end of the 
true man. 

THE TRUE MAN. MIS DIRECT END* 

And the true man is he (i) who. in the presence of 
"a lower imperfect monad" struggling for supremacy. 
Strenuously follows, through divine mercv. u a higher 
and a higher imperfect monad/' ad infinitum; (2) 
who. in the presence of "a lower perfect monad" 
struggling for supremacy. consciously follows. through 
divine grace. >c a higher and a higher perfect monad." 
ad infinitum; and (3) who. by divine love, finally be- 
comes u all perfect." -per sal turn, and realizes his own 
complete inter-communion with the all-holy Monon. 

THE GOD-MAN. 

This all-perfect man this "Jivan-mukta-purusha" 
— this god-man — lives above his surroundings, and is 

an object of loving adoration. 

EVOL1 Tl< >\ ITS l\ DIR 1 CT END. 

The dired end of the true man is the direct end ot 
all conditioned existence higher than man is the in- 

.12 1901 






J.g THE PHILOSOPHY OF EXISTENCE 

direct end of Nature's evolution is the summutn 
bonum of religion. 

RELIGION. 

Religion is pure individualism — pure prolongation 
of individual finite self to universal infinite self. And. 
in the final inter-communion of self with God — in the 
complete realization of the all-holy Monon, divine love 
is all-in-all. right self-effort, wholly nugatory. 

THE ONE— SELF-EXISTENT. 

The one-self-existent alone — all-absolute, omniscient 
and omnipotent — all-perfect, all-holy, and all-blessed 
—is the highest, supremest object of pure sacred love 
— of unceasing meditative worship. 









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